


A Perilous Alliance

by firewolfsg



Series: The Ysalamiri Connection [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 21:11:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11586267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firewolfsg/pseuds/firewolfsg
Summary: Unlike Legends, Thrawn has personal reasons for rejecting the offer of servitude by the Noghri. In this verse, the Noghri are more astute in their assessment of the Empire’s betrayal, and realise that Thrawn had no part in it. In their desire to gain an alliance with the Grand Admiral, the Noghri offer him a special gift.





	A Perilous Alliance

Thrawn knew he was not alone the moment his office door slid shut behind him, cutting him off from the Death Troopers that stood outside as guards. He turned slowly to face the shadows.

"Have you finally come to kill me, Rukh?"

Three figures detached themselves from the shadows, prompting the Chiss to slide his feet into a ready position to face an attack. He had spent many months training hard with his assassin droids. First two, then three at a time... This might be the moment he'd find out if he was as prepared as he'd like to be.

Thrawn was well aware that this confrontation was a long time in coming. When Vader had first offered his Death Commandos to him in service for his successful efforts against Prince Xizor, Thrawn had visited Honoghr to learn more about the Noghri. He had not been pleased with his investigations, and he had told the Dark Lord so in as diplomatic a fashion as he could manage.

If it were anyone else, Thrawn was quite sure that the Sith Lord would have Force choked the offender to death. However, as unexpected as it was to discover it, Vader appeared to carry guilt in him for his influence and possible cause to Thrawn’s exile by his people. After all, it was from Anakin that Thrawn learned the concept of the Pre-Emptive strike when they met over a decade earlier. A notion that the Chiss didn’t even have a direct translation of, and a view which ultimately had led to Thrawn’s exile.

So Thrawn could count it fortunate that he still lived, despite his refusal to accept the Death Commandos in his service as Vader had offered how ever many times they were pushed upon him. Knowing that Vader had some respect of his opinion, Thrawn had learned to lean on his own views against slavery and linked it to a understanding within his own culture. Thrawn exerted that he would not subscribe to enslaving another like he had once been enslaved.

Long ago, Thrawn remembered sharing with Anakin that he had been common born; that he and his brother had in fact been rescued from slavery and eventually separated from a mother who had looked upon them with shame when they had been rescued because they were natural born. In a society which had the science for external wombs and incubators for off spring which could be ‘designed’ without flaws, Thrass and Thrawn were looked upon as oddities and quickly abandoned to the common cache before they proved their own intelligence and abilities and eventually rose to the positions of power within Chiss society on the dint of their skill and ability.

Vader had eventually given up trying to persuade Thrawn to accept the Death Commandos. However, the Dark Lord hadn’t left well enough alone and instead passed on that task to the Noghri to persuade him to accept them in his service. Nevertheless, Thrawn stood firm on his conviction not to accept them as his bodyguards.

Over the months that the Noghri had sent ambassadors to him to try and persuade him to accept their pledge of subservience which was commanded upon them by Lord Vader, Thrawn had taken utmost care in how he had spoken to the Noghri and the elders of the race in their many encounters. He was particularly cautious in addressing the obligations that the Noghri race gave to Darth Vader; explaining to them that he did not believe in accepting obligations on behalf of another party. And that while he served the Empire, he did not agree with their stance on slavery and he did not wish to accept another’s servitude.

Knowing full well the treachery of the Empire upon the world of Honoghr, Thrawn was wary of the double edge sword that the loyalty of the Noghri rested upon. As it was, this deceit had existed for over a decade. The Chiss knew that it was only a matter of time before the truth came to light. When it came to pass, Thrawn was sure that this would lead to the Noghri either turning upon their former masters, or fleeing to the rebellion to offer their services.

It appeared that the delicate balance was over; that the Noghri were finally aware of the deceit and betrayal of the Empire and were now prepared to enact their anger and vengeance upon what Imperial officers they could access. Thrawn was quite sure he was himself a particularly choice target because Vader had directed the Noghri to protect him. His months of preparations and training with the assassin droids were now to be all that stood between life and death. He was ready.

For all his expectations though, Thrawn was surprised by a third option… Before his startled eyes, the three Noghri threw themselves at his feet in surrender and submission.  Thrawn, however, would not accept this.

“Do NOT bow to me as if I am your Master. You will stand and look me in the eye, or you will leave me be.”

“But Maste—“

Thrawn actually hissed in anger at the hateful word, prompting the Noghri to quickly scramble back up, though they still knelt on the floor before him. The Chiss took a deep breath now that he realised he was not in danger of losing his life, but the deferential behaviour of the Noghri still made his skin crawl.

Understanding that the Noghri would refuse to stand, Thrawn sat on the floor so he could look them in the eye if they’d just lift their heads. “What has changed? And look me in the eye when you speak.”

The Noghri he recognised as Rukh finally obeyed to give him a pained stare. “Mas—“ At Thrawn’s narrowed eye, the Noghri quickly corrected is address. “Grand Admiral, we—have come to realise some truths. A betrayal you had no part of, as we also realised since you had been subtly leading us to this discovery. We are grateful…”

“And this audience you seek with me? You understand the danger of this truth to you and your people should word reach Lord Vader?”

“Grand Admiral—we were in truth at loss with what to do with this knowledge.” The eldest among them spoke frankly. “We understand that what vengeance we may wish to seek would surely bring the full wrath of the Empire upon our shores. We need a plan to save our world and our society, and we have none…”

“And this is why we’ve come to you. Since you are the only one we know who has been honest to us.” The second slightly younger Elder finished for her.

“And the cleverest among the officers that we have ever come across.” Rukh added honestly.

“However, you ask me for an alliance that could be seen as a sign of disloyalty to the Empire we serve.”

“It is a disagreement you have expressed before… Your views against slavery…”

“A view that Lord Vader has thankfully agreed to disagree with me, for his own reasons. Still, you ask me to risk much.”

“We understand that, and will offer a fair pact. The true loyalty of our people, untampered by the loyalty that we once gave to the Empire.”

“We also offer this.” Rukh crept forward slightly to deposit a small hemp bag upon the skirt of Thrawn’s tunic.

Thrawn frowned as he cautiously undid the twain that held the bag closed and laid open the square cloth to reveal a round pearlescent object upon a bed of warm sand. Stroking a light finger over it, Thrawn guessed that he had been presented with in egg. However, before he could ask what animal it was of, the egg lurched violently and cracked open to reveal a slime covered furry lizard. Before Thrawn could move his hand away, it immediately lashed upon his fingers, and shrilled softly as it’s four beady little eyes looked up at him.

For a moment, Thrawn was transfixed by the little creature which nuzzled and clung to his hand, and swung its head from side to side as if trying to focus on him. He hadn’t even been conscious of his other hand reaching into his pocket to take out a handkerchief to gently wipe the slime off the tiny creature and fluff up its soft downy fur to help it dry off. From the periphery of his vision, Thrawn spied a scaled hand holding a baby bottle with its yellowish milky contents and he accepted it to offer the nipple to the little furry lizard.

Finally taking his eyes off the nursing kitten to look at the mess left on his lap, then at the anxious Noghri who were glancing from his stained tunic to his face, Thrawn let out a long breath of a sigh. “An interesting gift to start off our association. I recognise some similarities to the statues I have in my study, but what is the significance?”

“Grand Admiral, this is a Ysalamiri.”

Thrawn had to suck in a deep and sudden breath at this revelation. “Lord Vader gave me those statues when I was promoted to Grand Admiral. He said they were but representatives of a legendary creature which could repel the Force. It was a gift of luck, akin to a joke that it would protect me from the emperor’s wrath should I be so bold as to express disagreement with him too.”

“This creature will look nothing like your statues when fully grown. And it is no legend, Grand Admiral."

“This-- could be considered a-- treasonous gift.”

“It is…”

“You risk much too should Palpatine or Vader discover this significance.”

“Yes, we do.”

“This is a perilous path.”

“We understand, Grand Admiral, but we have nowhere else to seek our survival. Our poor poisoned world would be beyond recover if we do not act… And some fear there is no recovery after too many years of the Empire’s contaminants…”

The Elder sat straighter, and allowed herself to tower over Thrawn in fully restored dignity. "Grand Admiral, if you could find a way to help our world, we would offer you our loyalty and allegiance to fulfil your objectives and aspirations; for we do believe you have a purpose beyond the Empire that you reluctantly serve.”

“So, you see this truth too?" Thrawn sat straighter as well to meet her eyes. "Then, very well. I will accept this offer of an alliance. I share with you now that I will be reaching out to other allies, not of the Empire or the Rebellion. I’m sure I could persuade my own people to respond to this challenge with our science to discover a way to help you restore your world.”

“Thank you, Grand Admiral.” The Elder smiled in relief. “As a further gesture of our good will…”

Rukh offered another small cloth bag, which was shaking in his grip. “We believe this egg will be of a female; for you to have a breeding pair.”

Carefully shifting the little furry lizard with its bottle into the crook of his arm, Thrawn accepted the second bag with his free hand. This time Rukh helped him loosen the twine on the bag and it was none too soon as a second kitten soon cracked through its shell and spilled upon his Tunic’s already stained pristine white skirt, further messing up his uniform. Thrawn knew that he was going to have to give up this uniform as a loss. But he found that he didn’t mind very much as he was soon bottle feeding two charming little furry lizards in the cradle of his arm.

From an expectation of violence and death, this meeting with the Noghri had unexpectedly turned to one of new life and hope. It was a perilous path that they were to embark upon, but Thrawn was rather pleased with this rather unexpected turn in his life.

The Force had always been a mystery and a worrying obstacle in his plans to eventually lead the Empire down a path that would create a suitable ally to his people against the Far Outsiders. With this gift from the Noghri, Thrawn knew he had significantly increased his chances of success in this endeavour… if they succeeded in keeping secrets from Palpatine and Vader both.

And for that, he needed to teach the Noghri how to lie to a Sith...

End

**Author's Note:**

> So I have an idea in the new canon that Thrawn is about the same age / maybe slightly younger than Vader when they met. That Thrawn was just the equivalent of a lieutenant an under the command of an older indulgent Commander who was grooming him for a position in command when they met during the clone wars. And that it was because of a brash Jedi Knight Anakin that Thrawn was influenced towards the acceptance of the 'Preemptive strike', much to the absolute horror of the Chiss Commander. 
> 
> Will hopefully have that story written eventually...


End file.
